This invention relates to paging and voice mail services, and more particularly, to a paging and voice mail system that provides caller identification information.
Most conventional paging systems only provide numeric paging wherein the paging unit displays a call back number to the subscriber. Unless the subscriber recognizes the call back number, there is no method for determining the identity of the caller or other alphanumeric information.
One prior art solution is a paging system that identifies the caller from a table of predetermined caller identifications. A caller enters a call back number and message. The system compares the call back number with call back numbers stored in a subscriber unique list. For each subscriber, a set of page source numbers are pre-programmed into a data base memory to comprise the subscriber unique list. If there is a match, the paging system generates a source tag of 2 ASCII characters corresponding to that call back number. The paging system encodes the source tag along with the message and call back number and transmits the encoded information to the paging unit. The paging unit searches a pre-programmed database within its own memory and selects a predetermined caller identification corresponding to the received source tag. The paging unit then displays the caller identification and caller generated message.
This method of identifying a caller in the paging system has several drawbacks. For example, the subscriber unique list must be pre-programmed with the call back number and associated caller identification. Otherwise, the paging system is unable to identify the caller. In addition, if the caller is calling from a pay phone or otherwise enters an unfamiliar call back number, the paging system will again be unable to identify the caller.
Other prior art solutions use a PC-based software to input an alphanumeric message to the pager. However, it is relatively difficult and time-consuming to configure a PC with paging software to originate an alphanumeric page, and when a caller wishes to page a subscriber, a properly configured PC is rarely in the vicinity.
Another prior art solution is for a service bureau to input an alphanumeric message to the subscriber. This method, however, is costly and may be unavailable at different hours depending on the service bureau.
Thus, there is a need in the industry for a simple and cost-effective means for a large audience of potential callers to be able to originate a page, from any location, and for the paging system to provide caller identification and other alphanumeric information on a pager.
The present invention is directed to a paging system that includes an IVR unit for prompting a caller to enter a call back number and a caller base number. The call base number is a number associated with the identity of the caller, such as the caller""s home number or main business number. The paging system further includes an interface unit for obtaining caller identification information from a telephone listing database in an external database; and a message assembly unit for assembling a message to a mobile unit, wherein the message includes the call back number of the caller and the caller identification information. In operation, the paging system first determines caller identification from the base number by accessing the external database of telephone listings. For example, the paging system may access the line identification database (LIDB) of the public switched telephone network. The paging system may also perform other steps to determine the caller identification from the caller""s base number. For example, the paging system may include an exception list and reverse directory. The reverse directory is a telephone listing of telephone numbers and corresponding listings while the exception list is database of numbers and corresponding listings programmable in response to a mobile subscriber""s request. The paging system may then search the exception list for a corresponding listing to the base number and in response to not locating a corresponding listing to the base number in the exception list, search the reverse directory for a corresponding listing to the base number. If the call base number is unavailable or fails to produce caller identification information, the paging system may use the call back number to determine caller identification information. The paging system may also include a voice recognition unit to obtain caller identification information.